The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Max Weber and Translated with Commentary by Stephen Kalberg

For more than 100 years, Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism has set the parameters for the debate over the origins of modern capitalism. In this volume, Stephen Kalberg revises his internationally acclaimed translation--using shorter sentences and more lucid language--in order to make the work even more accessible to students and other readers. Capturing the essence of Weber's style as well as the subtlety of his descriptions and causal arguments, this engaging volume also includes extensive introductions by the editor, a chronology of Weber's life, a glossary, and numerous clarifying endnotes.

New to this Edition:

A revised translation that improves on what was already the best translation on the market.

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Max Weber and Translated with Commentary by Stephen Kalberg

Description

For more than 100 years, Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism has set the parameters for the debate over the origins of modern capitalism. Now more timely and thought provoking than ever, this esteemed classic of twentieth-century social science examines the deep cultural "frame of mind" that existed at the birth of modern capitalism and to this day influences attitudes toward work in northern America and Western Europe.

In this volume, Stephen Kalberg revises his internationally acclaimed translation--using shorter sentences and more lucid language--to make the work even more accessible to students and other readers. Capturing the essence of Weber's style as well as the subtlety of his descriptions and causal arguments, this is the only translation of the revised 1920 edition of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism published since 1930.

To draw readers into the material, this engaging volume includes extensive introductions by the editor, a chronology of Weber's life, a glossary, and numerous clarifying endnotes. Detailed commentaries discuss the controversies Weber addressed, explain his complex causal argument by reference to the general contours of his sociology, summarize the history of "the Protestant Ethic debate," and examine the significance of "the Protestant Sects" essays.

Ideal for courses in sociology, anthropology, political science, history, international relations, economics, and cultural studies, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the origins and endurance of the modern West.

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Max Weber and Translated with Commentary by Stephen Kalberg

Introduction
1. THE PROTESTANT ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
Introduction to the Translation, Stephen Kalberg
Introduction to The Protestant Ethic, Stephen Kalberg
Endnotes
Part I. The Problem
Chapter I. Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification
Chapter II. The "Spirit" of Capitalism
Chapter III. Luther's Conception of the Calling
The Task of the Investigation
Part II. The Vocational Ethic of Ascetic Protestantism
Chapter IV. The Religious Foundations of This-Worldly Asceticism
A. Calvinism
B. Pietism
C. Methodism
D. The Baptizing Sects and Churches
Chapter V. Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism
2. THE PROTESTANT SECTS IN AMERICA AND THE UNIQUENESS OF WESTERN RATIONALISM
Introduction, Stephen Kalberg
I. The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism
II. "Churches" and "Sects" in North America: An Ecclesiastical Sociopolitical Approach
III. Prefatory Remarks to Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion (1920)
Appendix I. Weber's Summary Statements on "The Protestant Ethic Thesis"
A. The Development of the Capitalist Frame of Mind (1919-1920)
B. A Final Rebuttal to a Critic of "Spirit of Capitalism"
Appendix II. Reading The Protestant Ethic: The Text and the Endnotes
Appendix III. Suggested Further Reading
A. The Protestant Ethic Thesis and the Protestant Ethic Debate
B. Max Weber: Life and Work
Notes for The Protestant Ethic
Literature Cited
A. Writings of Max Weber
B. Secondary Literature Cited
Acknowledgments
A Chronology of Max Weber's Life
Glossary
Name Index
Subject Index

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Max Weber and Translated with Commentary by Stephen Kalberg

Author Information

Stephen Kalberg is Associate Professor of Sociology at Boston University and an affiliate of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard University.

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Max Weber and Translated with Commentary by Stephen Kalberg

Reviews and Awards

"Sociologists interested in Max Weber can count themselves fortunate these days with the recent appearance of the second revised edition of Stephen Kalberg's new translation of Weber's work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. . . . Those teaching upper division undergraduate and graduate courses in social theory or the sociology of religion will find this volume an ideal introduction to Weber's work and to the continuing controversies surrounding his famous thesis. At $14.95 in paper-bound edition, it is more than worth the price."-- Donald A. Nielsen, State University of New York Oneota